deer stalking Tip's

DSC1 Shooting Test – it’s so easy?

Author: Andy Chadderton

I see comment after comment online regards the shooting test – many expressing worries and/ or seeking advice. But frequently taking the form of indirect ( or pretty direct ) criticism, often edging toward the line that the thing is so easy as to be beneath contempt. By and large I don’t know the authors of such posts and certainly cannot tell whether any tongues are firmly in cheek or whether scaffolding is to hand to support the egos concerned.

However, I do get to know the candidates that arrive on the range ready; to varying degrees, to take their actual test with me as their Assessor/ Range Conducting Officer. These individuals range from the positively blasé to engendering genuine concern that we may have a cardiac arrest to deal with any second. For those covered in the first paragraph, please pass over this article and read something more interesting, because there is little I can or really can be bothered to say to sway you – you KNOW you’re right! For the rest ( in which category I include your humble scribe ), I was prompted to write this. I hope it helps.

Having possibly antagonised  a significant proportion of the readership, they may well not have got to this next bit… they are to an extent right. On a strict technical basis, the test is not particularly hard. Taking it can be an entirely different matter.

There’s some degree of myth flying around the thing, so let’s have a look at what is actually involved as at the time of writing.

THE FACTS

The DSC1 shooting test ( virtually mirrored by the Forest Enterprise test ) is split into two parts.

Part One requires the candidate to place three rounds within – rounds breaking the outer ring count – a 4 inch circle ( Figure 1 ). Said rounds are to be deer legal – ie of appropriate calibre, configuration, weight, velocity, energy to comply with relevant legislation. In plain English, what you would normally, legally use to shoot deer.

The shots are taken from any position you choose ( just to clarify – Land Rover bonnet not valid even if you are prepared to carry one to the firing point ) from a distance of 100 yards.

You  have a maximum of three attempts to achieve this. It is permissible to use any item that you would reasonably have with you when stalking – bipod, rolled up jacket, rucksack etc. You can try and argue that two full size sandbags are what you always carry on the hill – but on my range I’ll ask you to jog round a two mile rough track with them  to prove it!

You must successfully complete Part One before going on to Part Two. If you don’t succeed in the attempt, you must return another day to retake the shooting test.

Part Two then moves on to shooting pairs ( two shots ) on representative deer silhouette  targets, each round requiring to fall within a defined strike zone – roughly aligned with the heart lung area. This zone is marked faintly in grey and is likely to be barely visible at the furthest ranges. Figure 2.

The first pair are taken at 100 yards from a prone position. The second are shot at 70 yds from either a sitting or kneeling position. The final pair at 40 yards from a standing position. In all cases, appropriate aids are permitted – as per Part One and including long bipod's, sticks etc. No Land Rover Bonnets!

As before, you have three attempts available – these are distinct to each Part – so you start with a fresh slate on Part Two even if you used all three attempts in Part One.

You need a minimum of 9 rounds to complete the test in one run. 45 if things go very  bad – in which case valium will probably be a useful addition to your kit list. Moderated or not, ear defenders are mandatory and eye protection strongly recommended.

Once completed and the rifle is certified clear by the RCO, you go forward to record the strikes on the assessment form. On successful completion the RCO will shake your hand and you can go and lie down for a bit with a dopey grin also mandatory.

That’s it. No tricks, no assault course, no mirrors.

SO WHATS THE PROBLEM?

I experience about 4 in 10 people requiring one or more of their three attempts to pass and about 1 in 20 failing.

Those who struggle mostly fall into two distinct groups; with a few unfortunate souls having a foot in both –

Technical problems – the rifle gremlins strike, the rifle set up is not right, duff ammo, poor maintenance, plain lack of knowledge as to how to set up and care for their rifle/ scope/ mounts.

Psychological – from near panic to just jitters to subtly talking yourself out of passing.

Each and every area can be remedied – frequently during the actual test. But the real key is to put a similar effort into preparation for the Shooting Test as you do for the other Test Elements.

Rifle/Scope/Ammo

A significant number of people attend the test with a rifle with easily remedied but fundamental issues – not zeroed, stock or mount screws loose. A similar number change to different ammo from that with which they zeroed. A few go the other way and having zeroed, strip down the rifle to check everything is ok and give it a thorough clean – the very next shot to be fired being the first of their test. Some rifles will behave, many will not.

Super duper scopes are great. But every wheel, dial and switch is just one more thing to think about – assuming all work perfectly. Two people turned up with long range tactical scopes that proved very hard to focus on the 40 yard target. The onus is on you to arrive prepared. In the heat of the test it is not uncommon for a guy to really struggle at 70 and 40 – only to find he has the scope cranked up at 24x and every wobble looks huge. I’ve wracked my brain, but really cannot avoid the cliché – keep it simple.

How are you zeroed? Most stalkers will be set 1-2” high at 100yds. The ideal is to zero dead on at 100yds for your test – it takes another thing to think about out of the equation.

WD40 is wonderful stuff for its intended purpose. Sorry WD40 Incorporated, but in my view its sole application in respect of firearms is restricted to the fine writing of Peter Hathaway Capstick and the imagery evoked as he describes uncasing his Berretta o/u prior to going mano et felis with a wounded Leopard. Even the makers never claim it makes a suitable bedding compound for rifles – yet I see several such dripping stocks each year.

Telescopic or generically collapsible bipod's/ shooting sticks. You’ve probably spotted the clue here… If something has the ability to retract, collapse, expand etc be completely confident in its realiability and yours to operate it. Disintegrating sticks provide a very unwanted distraction, which only seems funny in hindsight.

Set triggers. Just don’t. In fact I’ll add – JUST DON’T. Time after time assurances that ‘I always use it set’, ‘ I shooting much better this way’ and so on are followed by – ‘oops, that went off early’. At best its one attempt likely  blown, but as RCO I have to look very closely at what is frankly a negligent discharge. If you are not safe, the test ends right there and off the range you go. Set triggers may have a place Chamois hunting – I’ve never tried it. For any shooting I have experienced, I find no valid reason for their existence. If your standard trigger pull is too heavy, get it sorted.

PYSCHOLOGICAL

Many shooters turn up with little or no idea what the test entails. You now have it above in addition to the detail in your DSC1 manual, the course lecture, the pre range talk through, various web sites and so on.

SEE IT, SHOOT IT

Knowledge dispels fear. It really does work. If the whole test thing fazes you, then try looking only at each individual element. Take the test in your mind – exactly as Olympic Athletes do – visualise. But here’s the important part – keep things completely positive. In this test in your mind you shoot perfectly. Take the images in this article – the two targets – and put them somewhere you can see them many times each day. Fix them in your mind and see three neat holes strike the centre of the 4 inch ‘zeroing target’, then three successive pairs dead centre of the strike zone on the deer. In this process imagine packing your kit, arriving at the range, getting set up and taking position for each part. Imagine the perfect feel of the rifle in your shoulder, the steady trigger release and follow through, the bullet hole appearing right where you want it.

Work this through several times daily for a week before the test and it will make a difference. But remember no negative thoughts Moriarty. You can train your mind to win – but you can train it the other way too!

In this process you are also checking through all your kit. As you visualise make note of what you need – bolt, ammo, fac, rifle, sticks etc.

With this check list go through and physically check things. By all means prep your rifle – just ensure you have chance to fire it to check all is in order.

Practise and coach with friends. But be selfish – there’s good coaching and bad. There is no point at all practising the wrong things – it just compounds matters. Equally avoid armchair experts – in this sport as in sadly so many, a number of people merely exercise their favourite pastime – hearing the sound of their own voice. Just walk away.

Like to old chestnut of the proper golf grip, shooting position/ style causes some problems. I’m undecided as to whether strictly technical or psychological. Most of us have a favourite and use that 90% of the time. The test forces us to use prone, sitting/ kneeling and standing. The first time to try these is not on your test.

The pukka gravel-belly prone is a thing of beauty to behold. I rubbish at it and so are most people. If you use a bipod then you are a long way to bench rest steady in any event – so why replace it with a wobbly arm. Without a bipod, now is a good time to consider using a rucksack or rolled up jacket.

With the front end supported thus, the only wobble in the equation comes from your body at the back end. Many bipod users take position and then place the non trigger hand forward toward the bipod. This does you no favours. Let the bipod/ rest do its job. This hand want to be back where support is needed. One of the best places is firmly cupping the heel of the stock  - almost tucked into your arm pit. Here it will minimise thoracic movement – heartbeat etc and fully stabilise the rifle. Some people fit a length of pipe insulation around the sling at this point. Once gripped it provides a virtual rear sandbag.

Sitting or kneeling can be a struggle. I speak as one who has to put his stomach somewhere to check my welly buckles are fastened! The key tip is that sitting tends to be steadier and its all about support. Avoid flying elbows. If you can obtain a position with both elbows solid, then you will find you are virtually as steady as prone. Remember – not bone to bone.

Standing – you are going to move. Accept this, be at one with the movement! People seem to have a hard time getting used to seeing their cross hairs ranging over a target. A Herculean fight ensues as they struggle to get a steady aim. Its interesting to watch, but agonising too. Firstly turn your scope down – 24x doesn’t help anyone for a standing shot at 40 yards. Next accept you are going to shoot with the aim point moving. I mean really accept. You are wanting to put a bullet in an area circa 5”x7”. Pinpoint centre is irrelevant. Instead seek one of two options –

Be happy with a slowly revolving aim around the centre of the hit zone. If you are there, press the trigger. Do not hold on for perfection. The first time it looks right is better than any of the following.

Otherwise, aim low or high on the target and slowly raise/ lower aim point. As you cross the centre of the zone, press the trigger. Again the first time is the best.

You want the shot off within 4 seconds maximum of mounting the gun.

Many people able to follow this advice – for the first time during the test are astounded to find their pair usually forming a wragged hole in the centre of the hit zone… go figure.

Sticks can be useful. Bi and tri sticks take at least one vector out of the equation. Quad sticks can seem like cheating! The key is to get them set right. They are there to help you. Oft times the shooter in a rush ends up contorted around the sticks. The target is not going to bound off into the trees, take and use your time.